Jon Curnow's Digital Home
It’s still my favourite season even if it was cold this morning.
Every year I talk about how nice autumn is (see, I did it here in 2003) and how much I like the season. If you have any doubts as to why I like the season then just go look at Flick’s autumn tag – it’s stunningly beautiful. Every autumn in the same with lots of work and me craving a holiday (see, I did that in 2002). This year is no different. But I have to admit – it was very cold this morning.
The past is coming back – really.
Timewarp one – every year we hear the same things: there’s a lot of serious stuff in the news right now – still, The Guardian’s put together a list of Conservative leader Michael Howard’s favourite words in order of the frequency with which he used them in today’s speech: Howard’s buzzwords.
Timewarp two – like it’s the Eighties again: not to be outdone on the list front The Sun lists predictions for top toys this Christmas and they report that Cabbage Patch Kids are making a comeback and are expected to be among the best-selling childrens toys this Christmas. Oh and they have a list too
And if that’s not bad enough, timwarp three – space hoppers are back: 20 space hopper riders are to hop up Arthurs Seat in Edinburgh this weekend according to The Scotsman.
The past is coming back – really. It’s the Eighties again: not to be outdone on the list front The Sun lists predictions for top toys this Christmas.
Timewarp one – every year we hear the same things: there’s a lot of serious stuff in the news right now – still, The Guardian’s put together a list of Conservative leader Michael Howard’s favourite words in order of the frequency with which he used them in today’s speech: Howard’s buzzwords.
Timewarp two – like it’s the Eighties again: not to be outdone on the list front The Sun lists predictions for top toys this Christmas and they report that Cabbage Patch Kids are making a comeback – and are expected to be among the best-selling children’s toys this Christmas. Oh and they have a list too
And if that’s not bad enough, timwarp three – space hoppers are back: 20 space hopper riders are to hop up Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh this weekend according to The Scotsman.
IMDB Says, “Mockumentary captures the reunion of 1960s folk trio the Folksmen as they prepare for a show at The Town Hall to memorialize a recently deceased concert promoter.
So the set-up of the DVD we watched last night was a television reunion of a few old folk singers who had hits in the sixties. Christopher Guest’s A Mighty Wind isn’t as good as Best In Show or This Is Spinal Tap but it’s a passable and amusing way to spend an evening. It seemed less realistic than other spoof-documentaries and I found some of the deleted scenes on the DVD to be funnier than the movie itself. However, there are some good performances and interesting soundtrack and it does make you smile.
Worth taking a chance on.
A reality TV show where the stars are hot!
Really, it’s too good to be true. Tonight Sky One starts a reality TV show called the match where a series of hot young male celebrities become footballers. I think many of those signed up for The Match have a footballing interest/past which means they should be pretty good. Next week they get to take on a team of British footballing legends but in the meantime they are all stuck in a house 24/7 with cameras watching them only to escape for training sessions. Tonight’s proved it was the real deal as ex-England coach Graham Taylor took the team through their paces. Gary Lucy and Philip Olivier (both pictured) are on the bench tonight and subject to the public vote. Somehow I think they will both survive. And while we are on the subject of Phil Olivier, how did I miss his Doctor Who appearances?
Today was busy but I really wish I hadn’t had to go into work.
On the upside, last night’s visit to The Borderline was great. On the downside PY has his mobile phone stolen from his pocked in a branch of Starbucks. And what does that say about us? Instead of standing at the bar waiting for the gig we went to Starbucks for coffee. Today, I had the morning off work as we’d bought PY’s mum a trip on the Orient Express from Victoria. The carriage was very impressive and it sounds like they had a wonderful time. Unfortunately, I had to go back to work in the afternoon.
And tonight’s Evening Standard headline managed to get Iraq of the front cover for once.
Maybe I should buy the mugs
Time to get organised. Somebody new is starting in our office today and we don’t have enough mugs for the coffee. Tonight I am off to see a gig at The Borderline. Additionally I have a strange urge to make my computer make sounds on various actions – usually I work with the sound muted to stop all those sounds created by random things online but right now I want it to speak to me. I must be mad. I will get over it tomorrow.
The one thing that David Page probably should not have done when he thought he had uncovered a second world war mine in his yard was to push the button on the end of it.
There was an amusing news story last week about a man who pressed what he thought was a the trigger of a second world war bomb only to discover it was part from the suspension of Citroen car. I read it in a newspaper that was discarded on the underground on my way into work. As it stuck in my brain I have been telling people about it for a good week now and so, in order to share with even more of you, I’ve been off and found a link to the story at The Guardian.
A great London icon.
Routemasters are a fantastic icon of London and I will miss them when they are gone. Yesterday, as I sat explaining their value to a group of visiting Americans, I watched as the crowds on Piccadilly boarded them anywhere on the street. Smart and efficient.. Then I watched a bendy-bus block most of Piccadilly Circus. Somebody thinks it’s progress. [Routematser Bye Bye]
I didn’t want this site to become a site full of my photographs but I couldn’t resist posting another one from my weekend back in Shrewsbury.
I didn’t want this site to become a site full of my photographs but I couldn’t resist posting another one from my weekend back in Shrewsbury. This picture isn’t as good but it’s of Shrewsbury Abbey – at the bottom of Abbey Foregate just before you reach the English Bridge. I passed this place every day on my way into college as I was growing up and it’s a sight that always makes me think of being a teenager. [Shrewsbury Abbey]
Sadly, I could only find one other picture of Shrewsbury at Flickr and that turns out to be a different Shrewsbury!
I love the colours on this picture. Although it was taken early in the morning (at least, early for a Sunday) the colours are fantastic. And what’s more it’s been taken with my Treo’s mobile camera which isn’t the greatest camera in the world. According to Shropshire Online, “Lord Hill’s Column, outside Shirehall, is one of Shrewsbury’s striking landmarks. The tallest Doric column in the world, it commemorates the First Viscount Lord Hill, who lived from 1772 to 1842.” [Lord Hill’s Mighty Tower]
What do you need to make your advertising look sexy & attractive?
I posted this to Flickr because it’s something I have seen more and more of. If you work in advertising and you’re trying to imply something is easy and relaxed it would seem you must use a model with his shirt open. [A Shirtless State Of Mind]
Wind is the way forward.
Last week Tony Blair talked a little about cimate change and the environment. According to The Guardian low-carbon fuel sources are “indispensable today if we are to cushion the British economy against volatile oil and gas prices” [source]. Today I discivered that 74% of people in the UK think that wind farms are necessary to help us meet current and future energy needs. According Embrace The Wind (not sure about the name) the voices of that 74% is not being heard which is why they say it’s time to show your support and Embrace the Revolution.
A mobile-phone captured photograph of the trees on Piccadilly in central London.
A word about the image I posted to Flickr on Monday. I am starting to see autumn colours everywhere and I love it. There’s a breeze in the air which, I swear, smells of autumn.
Jesus Christ Superstar at The New Wimbledon Theatre with James Fox as Judas.
So I have to take it all back about TV pop stars. Last night I went to The New wimbledon Theatre to see the touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar. PY bought tickets for my birthday. I had heard the soundtrack as a child but never seen the musical until I was in Norway a couple of years ago when I saw it in Norwegian – which of course made little sense to me but was an amazing staging in an outdoor setting. This one was, thankfully, in English. Fame Academy star James Fox was Judas and he put in a superb performance. He was very impressive with a much more powerful voice than I thought he had the last time I saw him perform his own material.
Glenn Carter was excellent as Jesus (although it seems to have been a role he has played many times) and the rest of the cast were also very good. The only piece I found a little odd was Herod’s Song which was camped up unnecessarily but – overall – an excellent night out and worth going to see. Last night was the first night and it was sold out. I hope the rest of the run is like that as it deserves it.